On Thursday, May 20, Invicta Fighting Championships hosted the weigh-ins for Invicta FC: Rodriguez vs. Torquato. The event takes place Friday, May 21, with the entire card streaming live on on YouTube beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The main card will also be broadcast live on AXS TV in the United States and Fight Network in Canada beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
In the headliner, Mexico’s Karina Rodriguez (8-4) faces off with Brazilian Daiana Torquato (10-3) for the vacant 125-pound title. Rodriguez is no stranger to the spotlight, having gone the distance with former champion Vanessa Porto and defeating UFC veterans DeAnna Bennett and Milana Dudieva inside the Invicta cage. Torquato rides a six-fight winning streak in the title affair, having also faced Bennett and Dudieva in the Phoenix Series 2 tournament.
“I know it’s going to be a great fight,” said Rodriguez of the title clash. “[Torquato’s] aggressive. She’s a striker. We’re going to try to kill each other over five rounds.”
Torquato responded, “This is the best I’ve ever been. It’s going to be a war. Whoever has the biggest heart is going to win.”
The co-main event will see newly crowned atomweight queen Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (8-2, 1 NC) defend her 105-pound belt against Brazilian challenger Jéssica Delboni (10-2). Michigan’s Zappitella captured gold at Invicta FC 42 last year, scoring the promotion’s first Von Flue choke finish against Ashley Cummins. Delboni was in action on the same card, defeating former champion Herica Tiburico on the scorecards.
“She’s been preparing for the old Alesha and she’s not going to be ready for what I bring to the table,” declared the champion Zappitella. “I’m ever-evolving and becoming the best mixed martial artist I can be. I’m better than the last ‘Half Pint’ you saw in the cage.”
The challenger Delboni retorted, “It’s going to be a very tough fight, the toughest of my life. I asked for the belt and I have to be ready when opportunity knocks. If I win, I’m the best in the world.”
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Invicta on AXS TV: Rodríguez vs. Torquato Weigh-in Video
(Courtesy of Invicta FC)
Invicta on AXS TV: Rodríguez vs. Torquato official weigh-in results:
- Flyweight Title: Karina Rodriguez (124.7) vs. Daiana Torquato (124.9)
- Atomweight Title: Alesha Zappitella (104.9) vs. Jéssica Delboni (104.8)
- Flyweight: Juliana Miller (125.3) vs. Claire Guthrie (126)
- Flyweight: Josee Storts (128.7)* vs. Maria Favela (125.5)
- Strawweight: Fatima Kline (115.6) vs. Ariana Melendez (114.8)
- Flyweight: Elise Pone (124.7) vs. Chrissy Yandolli (125.9)
* – Storts missed the flyweight limit of 126 pounds and was fined 25 percent of her fight purse
Invicta on AXS TV: Rodríguez vs. Torquato weigh-in results and video
